a command or authorization to act in a particular way on a public issue given by the electorate to its representative: The president had a clear mandate to end the war.
a command from a superior court or official to a lower one: The appellate court resolved the appeal and issued a mandate to the district judge.
an authoritative order or command: a royal mandate.
(in the League of Nations) a commission given to a nation to administer the government and affairs of a former Turkish territory or German colony.
a mandated territory or colony.
Roman Catholic Church. an order issued by the pope, especially one commanding the preferment of a certain person to a benefice.
Roman and Civil Law. a contract by which one engages gratuitously to perform services for another.
(in modern civil law) any contract by which a person undertakes to perform services for another.
Roman Law. an order or decree by the emperor, especially to governors of provinces.
verb (used with object),man·dat·ed,man·dat·ing.
to authorize or decree (a particular action), as by the enactment of law: The state legislature mandated an increase in the minimum wage.
to order or require; make mandatory: to mandate sweeping changes in the election process.
to consign (a territory, colony, etc.) to the charge of a particular nation under a mandate.
Origin of mandate
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin mandātum, noun use of neuter of mandātus, past participle of mandāre “to commission,” literally, “to give into (someone's) hand”; equivalent to manus manus + -dere “to put” (combining form; see do1).
SYNONYMS FOR mandate
3 fiat, decree, injunction, edict, ruling.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR mandate ON THESAURUS.COM
historical usage of mandate
English mandate comes from Latin mandātum “an order, instruction, commission, imperial directive, (in law) a consensual contract.” Mandātum is a neuter noun use of the past participle mandātus, from mandāre “to hand over, deliver, consign, entrust, delegate.” The first element of Latin mandāre is from the noun manus “hand”; the second part looks as if it were from dare “to give,” but in fact -dāre is a derivation of the combining form -dere “to put, place,” from a very widespread Proto-Indo-European root dhē-, dhō- “to place, set, put,” source of the English verb do.Mandāre therefore means “to put in the hands (of).” Mandātum, via Old and Middle French mandé “washing of poor people’s feet during the Holy Thursday liturgy,” becomes maunde in Middle English and maundy in Modern English. Mandé, maunde, and maundy derive from the Vulgate Latin text of Jesus’ words during the Last Supper (Gospel of St. John, 13:34): Mandātum novum dō vōbis, ut diligātis invicem “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another.”
I felt sure of one thing: Hilda was far too good a judge of character to believe that I was likely to obey that mandate.
Hilda Wade|Grant Allen
I might add that the mandate from the Congress was given by an almost unanimous bipartisan vote.
The Communist Threat in the Taiwan Area|John Foster Dulles and Dwight D. Eisenhower
With one noble exception, this mandate of the church and clergy had effect for a time in silencing womans plea for the slave.
Woman, Church & State|Matilda Joslyn Gage
With this mandate in his pocket, Pfefferkorn hastened back to the scene of his activity, the Rhenish provinces.
History of the Jews, Vol. IV (of VI)|Heinrich Graetz
That officer, protesting that he acknowledged no authority in the Duke of Lancaster, obeyed the mandate of the regent.
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 07|Various
British Dictionary definitions for mandate
mandate
noun (ˈmændeɪt, -dɪt)
an official or authoritative instruction or command
politicsthe support or commission given to a government and its policies or an elected representative and his policies through an electoral victory
Also called: mandated territory(often capital)(formerly) any of the territories under the trusteeship of the League of Nations administered by one of its member states
Roman lawa contract by which one person commissions another to act for him gratuitously and the other accepts the commission
contract lawa contract of bailment under which the party entrusted with goods undertakes to perform gratuitously some service in respect of such goods
Scots lawa contract by which a person is engaged to act in the management of the affairs of another
verb (ˈmændeɪt) (tr)
international lawto assign (territory) to a nation under a mandate
to delegate authority to
obsoleteto give a command to
Derived forms of mandate
mandator, noun
Word Origin for mandate
C16: from Latin mandātum something commanded, from mandāre to command, perhaps from manus hand + dāre to give
A command or an expression of a desire, especially by a group of voters for a political program. Politicians elected in landslide victories often claim that their policies have received a mandate from the voters.